1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating materials, particularly materials such as sewage or other waste effluents. In particular, the invention provides a waste treatment process and apparatus in which a high degree of separation is initially provided for separating solid and liquid components, with the solid component thereafter incinerated with little or no resulting solid waste product remnants. The method and apparatus also includes a system for treatment of the liquid component such that the discharged liquid is more environmentally acceptable. The separator aspects of the invention are also applicable wherever material separation is desired.
2. Discussion of Background
Due to overly burdened sewage systems, increased costs associated with waste disposal, and heightened awareness of environmental issues, improved waste treatment systems/processes are greatly needed. For example, in the treatment of household sewage, waste water and associated solids are typically treated in two ways: (1) municipal sewage systems which lead to a central treatment plant; and (2) localized in-ground anaerobic leach fields or cesspools off septic tanks. However, such systems have extremely large volume requirements, and provide less than optimal by-products from an environmental standpoint.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,133 proposes an alternative waste treatment arrangement in which sewage passes through a filter, with solid waste material trapped in the filter. A heating element and microwave generator then dry the solid material and burn or incinerate the solids. However, such an arrangement is considerably less than optimal, since the entire sewage volume must pass through the filter, thereby severely limiting the volume capacity of the treatment device. In addition, the need for both microwave and auxiliary heat increases the energy requirements of the treatment device, thereby increasing the associated cost of operation as well as diminishing the effectiveness of the device from an environmental standpoint.
Accordingly, improved waste treatment systems and processes are needed. Ideally, a waste treatment system should be capable of reliably handling significant volumes of waste such as sewage, while having low energy requirements, with any resulting end-products environmentally safe. In addition, the system should preferably be capable of on-site installation for a wide variety of applications, thereby eliminating the need for extensive piping and storage systems.
An improved separation system is also needed for use in a waste treatment system, or wherever materials separation is needed such as in food/beverage processing, in the pulp and paper industry, etc.